AT NO other time in our political history have voters been more powerful, vocal and more engaged.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
There are so many avenues for comments and opinions that the job of a politician selling policy has become extremely problematic.
Letters to local newspapers, comments and opinions pieces in newspapers and websites and social media interaction has given a voice to many people who previously struggled to be heard.
The recent federal budget will probably now go into future university political science courses as a teaching tool and there is no doubt that Tasmanian Treasurer Peter Gutwein is taking notice.
During the week Mr Gutwein promised "no new taxes," when his budget is delivered late next month.
Joe Hockey and Tony Abbott promised the same thing and are still being hammered for changing course.
The problem for governments of strong ideology is achieving quantum change in a three-year election cycle without losing the goodwill of voters.
A recent report by the Ipsos Social Research Institute looked at how Australians felt about the economy and the federal budget and showed that we are probably a more egalitarian society than what we think.
The report reflected confusion about Australia's real financial situation and supported the paying down of national debt, but rather than focusing on their own individual financial situation, the interviewees were more concerned about the impact on the more vulnerable members of the community.
They felt that the budget "targeted the young and the old" too much and that the paid parental leave scheme was too generous.
This fine line between balancing the books and balancing the pain is a blind spot for most Liberal governments.
Campbell Newman waded into Queensland's financial quagmire with vigor, sacking public servants by the thousands.
Now, just nine months out from an election, Mr Newman lost a recent by-election with an 18.4 per cent swing against his party.
Suddenly, Mr Newman declared that his government had gone "too far with a series of inappropriate measures" and was now listening to the electorate's concerns.
One senses that Mr Hockey and Mr Abbott are in the same boat and need to "back-paddle".
The paid parental leave scheme is a worthy concept but it is incongruous when you are alienating those at the margins by cutting dole payments, wanting a Medicare co-payment and flagging a rise to the pension age.
For a tough budget to be accepted there needs to be a community feeling that everyone is doing the "lifting" and this is where the Hockey budget failed in the publicity stakes.
Closer to home, Peter Gutwein is no fool. His challenge to the public sector unions of accepting a 12-month wage freeze to save the jobs of 500 co-workers has generated a fascinating power-struggle.
Do the unions march in the streets for an extra $1000 or $1500 dollars a year and see some of their colleagues march out the door?
The level of public support for their cause may surprise them.
The one thing that is certain about the state budget is that there will be very few big surprises.
The Hodgman government has seen the federal budget backlash so the state financial blueprint will need to be seen by all sections of the community as tough, responsible and fair but also offering a blueprint of hope.